I WISH I WIN READY
Man of the moment James McDonald has declared I Wish I Win an improved horse who will handle any surface ahead of his likely showdown with stablemate Chain Of Lightning in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on Saturday.
The superstar jockey is on a record-breaking Group 1 quest and says it was I Wish I Win’s fitness which brought him undone in the TJ Smith Stakes last month, where he ran third to Chain Of Lightning and Bella Nipotina on a testing Randwick track.
Despite regular jockey Luke Nolen returning from injury, McDonald has kept the ride and the Kiwi is keen to link up with the hulking Peter Moody and Katherine
Coleman-trained galloper again in what will be just his second run in 2024.
McDonald said his huge sprint in the TJ Smith even surprised him and has no doubt he has improved from the run.
“He was trialling mediocre I thought before I rode him in the TJ and he did what he did, this time around, he has he won a trial the other day, so that suggests to me that he has come on immensely,” McDonald said.
“His run was sensational, first up and on heavy ground.
He came with a beautiful, big sprint on him, but he just got tired.” McDonald was at his brilliant best at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, riding four winners.